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COVID Chronicles: ‘Rona’s Housing Trends are Here to Stay

[rs-image img_url=”/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/Hand-Sanitizer_5956x1685.jpg” link=”” alt=”Forest Edge Rendering” width=”” height=”” class=”” type=”img-rectangle” border=”default” new_win=”no” margin=”” pos=”center” wrap=”no”/] Welcome to the dystopian world of COVID-19. We wear masks and operate as shut-in recluses working from home, having someone else bring us food, and homeschooling our kids. The stock market collapses and comes back, unemployment falls off a cliff …

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Softwood and Hardwood: Cone vs. Nut, Not Weak vs. Strong

[rs-image img_url=”/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/Logs-on-Yard.jpg” link=”” alt=”Forest Edge Rendering” width=”” height=”” class=”” type=”img-rectangle” border=”default” new_win=”no” margin=”” pos=”center” wrap=”no”/] STUMPED BY SOFTWOODS AND HARDWOODS? If you found yourself on a gameshow with the final-round question being, “What is the difference between hardwood and softwood?,” and you answered, “Hardwood is hard and strong, and softwood is soft and less strong,” …

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Buyer Beware: Imported Brazilian Plywood Falsely Claims Compliance to U.S. Product Standards

TRADE ASSOCIATION ISSUES WARNING REGARDING IMPORTED BRAZILIAN PLYWOOD The United States is being flooded with massive quantities of Brazilian plywood that do not meet U.S. Voluntary Product Standard PS-1 for structural plywood as claimed. The imported product fails to meet stiffness standards and span rating requirements. Importers have not only falsely claimed compliance. Some will …

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Presidents and Plywood: How the 2020 Election Could Affect the Housing Market

Ready or not, the 2020 presidential election is upon us, and its potential effect on our industry should have us all paying close attention. Election years typically mean instability in the stock market as investors tend to be skittish during rocky political environments. That sentiment, unfortunately, trickles down to the housing market. Below are a …

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Common Mistakes in OSB Installation

Oriented strand board (OSB) has come a long way since its introduction in the 1970s. Use of OSB is now commonplace to integrate strength with durability for construction. From the most populated metropolitan areas to the most remote regions, builders count on OSB sheathing as sidewall, roofing, and flooring material. These wooden panels are proving …

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It’s Getting Hot in Here: Building Products and Methods to Reduce Waste for a Less Treacherous Summer on the Jobsite

RADIANT BARRIER: MADE IN THE SHADE It’s summertime in the South, and this is a superbly hot one. Drastic heat-wave temps are hitting the Northeast. It’s just always hot in the South, so we don’t make the news. Not only can we fry an egg on the sidewalk, I do believe we can also roast …

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OSB vs Flex Board: Knowing Matters

Popping up all over Texas are homes being built with flexible cellulosic fiber boards, or non-wood structural panels. These homes, essentially made of a cardboard-like material, are vulnerable to complete demolition in storm seasons. In fact, past tornadoes have obliterated entire home-sites built with these non-wood panels. Unsuspecting homeowners may be unaware of the sheathing …

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